Work in Progress 3

Right from the start there were certain misgivings I harboured about the approach I would adopt for this exhibition. Central to this was the concern that my intent to borrow from traditional Australian landscape images would by nature render the results, well, traditional. In a professional world where traditional is often perceived to be antithetic to being contemporary and innovative (especially where it is not paraphrased ironically), the intent to make works with ostensibly traditional and modern stylistics was unlikely to turn heads in contemporary art competitions or garner much critical interest from the big end of town.

As is the case when you can afford to give time to creative problems, solutions often present themselves from the subconscious in the most obvious of ways. The work in this blog provided a way forward that pleased me, especially in relation to the the misgivings I have had since the beginning of this project. This image, although no radical departure from where I had previously been creatively, offered a modified approach that I believe is more articulate. The shift in approach I do not see as a problem in the broader context of the show. As a part of a viewing experience, I believe a small number of works like this one will not come across as clunky or disconnected, but instead are likely to bring more colour and layers to the show. However, I now must commit to completing a few more with this approach.

This is the initial preparatory sketch, completed in graphite.

And here is the tonal underpainting using raw umber, ultramarine blue and lean medium on

hand prepared Belgian linen.

This photo shows the first application of opaque paint.

...and further opaque rendering (finding the palette)

This layer received a series of modifications and then a few layers af glaze to complete and pull it together (graphically, tonally and chromatically). Now to make the frame with Tasmanina oak. Come along to the openning of the exhibition on the 4th June to see how it turns out.